taurus252

I am headed to tampa sometime next week to check out an investment property, but I wanted to plan a lil excursion aside from this. Ideas that have been considered but not sure if its possible or cost effective. Possibly a lil cruise to mexico, not sure if tampa is a port of call for such trips to mexico or the caribbean. This would be idea.
Another idea is going to sanibel island, but the more I read the more I am thinking that it may be a lil in shambles.
What we like is relaxing by a nice beach, with the option of shopping nearby. Any help you can provide is appreciated. By the way this trip is for me and my fiancee.

OO

Both Royal Caribbean and Carnival (and there may be others but these are the only two I'm certain of) sail to Cozumel and other ports in the Caribbean out of Tampa.

I'd put Sanibel on hold for a while, but what about Sarasota/Longboat, Miami/South Beach, Naples or Lauderdale areas for a get away? All have great beaches, and good dining and shopping. Of course whatever track Frances takes may significantly limit or alter some of these choices!

Patrick

Considering the size and strength of hurricane Francis headed to ALL of Florida this weekend, I'd rethink it and consider a trip to Oregon next week!

taurus252

I know but it is kind of necessary for me to go next week. I will look more into the crusie thing. Any other ideas will be appreciated.

Tandoori_Girl

Check out the Don Cesar, an old historic Spanish mediterranean gem of a building on the Gulf of Mexico in St. Pete Beach. www.doncesar.com. Have you explored this area? There is a lot to do in Tampa/St. Pete and the Don is a great place to be. Very romantic. There are good restaurants in the hotel, and downtown St. Pete has recently undergone some interesting changes. Between Tampa, St. Pete and Clearwater, you have a plethora of great restaurants, good museums, and Busch Gardens theme park.

Also, you could look into Siesta Key near Sarasota. It is a funky beach community.

I like Sunset Beach (Treasure Island) for quiet relaxation but it's not particularly romantic (unless you have a pirate fetish).

Jayne11159

Heed Patrick's warning and watch the news before making your plans.

I think Taandori girl might be thinking of Anna Maria--Siesta doesn't consider itself funky!

Anna Maria, Longboat Key or Lido would be some good options for a short excursion.

Tandoori_Girl

Jayne, no, I wasn't thinking of anything but Siesta Key. Have you been there? It is very funky in its downtown area. My favorite place there has wood floors and not polished wood floors, floors that you can see the ground through. Truthfully, it's not the romantic spot that taurus is looking for.

Jayne, do you think Anna Maria is funky? I'd put my funky bet on Siesta Key over Anna Maria any day.

Jayne11159

Oh yes, I do consider AM funky--it's a little world unto itself. Many of the residents grew up and operate businesses on the island and kind of march to beat of their own drum. It's a neat, very tight knit little community and they all support each other.

And yes, I do know Siesta. The village is indeed a little funky, but for the most part it's more upscale with lots of condos, $1 million plus homes, many winter residents and a few hotels. Contrast that with AM with lots of mom and pop restaurants, motels and many year-round residents. I consider it a traditional old Florida beach community.

Tandoori_Girl

Taurus, this is all a moot point, whether or not these islands are funky. Right now we're in a state of chaos in Florida, our lives entwined with the life of a hurricane named Frances.

I suggest you wait it out. Many people are canceling hotel reservations for this weekend. Some of those might be people who were planning to stay through the week. I think, if all is well here, you will have no problems finding a place at the last minute.

Also, this is a very good time for you to check out the flood plain for your investment property. I always encourage people who are buying to try to go to their property during a hard rain. Flooding is a big problem down here.

taurus252

Can anyone tell me about the sirata beach resort in clearwater?

taurus252

You brought up some good points T and I am considering it as well. it seems like we may be trying to do too mcuh in a really terrible time. i will keep you posted thanks for the advice.

OO

That is for certain! (Flooding) I could not find my way out of South Tampa last Wednesday night after a severe storm. My little low slung car about floated away--and how it kept going I still don't know. I ended up starting down, then backing up on major streets that became impassable (Bay to Bay, Himes) in an effort to get home. Every road that I'd heard was normally high ground was underwater with cars stalled on all sides. Had anyone looked into my little car's driver side as they passed they'd have seen the model for The Scream sitting behind the steering wheel!!

This was a freak storm, but south Tampa has it's problems anyway and there are pockets of similar areas all through the Tampa Bay area.

joan

The Sirata is located in St. Pete Beach, taurus. On "the strip" (think family oriented) in the middle of things.

OO funny you should mention it, but did you know "The Scream" was just stolen? They're waiting for a ransom note because it would be impossible to sell. Hmmmm...

Jayne11159

LOL Joan--OO--be careful or Interpol will be knocking on your door!

taurus252

well my design center appt looks like its going to have to be next week...So im goin to florida. I may need to re read the posts...So what area should I try to find a hotel in, I want a beautiful beach...I guess I should try and pick an area first and then find a nice hotel...are there nice places near the gulf? Ohhh my I sound like Im starting this post over again...ok Between Clearwater, St Pete, St Anna Maria, Longboat Key or Lido- which one would give me a nice relaxing place to get away, and a nice beach to hang at...preferabbly beach front, or near. I liked the doncesar but it may be pricier then we want to go. Sorry is anyone left to help me ...I hope.

Tandoori_Girl

These are all lovely beaches. Clearwater and St. Pete Beach are very close to Tampa, 20-30 minutes from the airport. Where's your investment property?

To get to the others, you'll drive an hour to Anna Maria, another ten minutes to Longboat, another 15 to Lido.

I just stayed at the Radisson on Lido and it is a very nice newer property. 2 pools, 3 spas. Great restaurant on the property. St. Armands Key is just around the corner. Highly recommended.

Not too long ago I stayed at the Clearwater Beach Hotel which I like alot but the pool was really disgusting. "suspended particles" floating in it. The beach though was really gorgeous, some of the best sand around. White, white sand.

I used to stay at Longboat but the place where I went was painted pastel and doubled its prices. These were cottages. So it's been awhile since I stayed there, I have no recs.

Anna Maria, I think it's the Rod and Reel Club that's on the Gulf. Joan had some cottages she stayed in down there. I've always rented houses there.

birder

OK, here's my thoughts on where the most gorgeous beaches are. I went to high school right near Anna Maria Island, and I really loved the beach on the south end of Anna Maria - Coquina Beach - and also the beaches on Longboat Key. They are still my favorite beaches - just gorgeous, very wide, wonderful water. Longboat seems to be quieter because there's far less public beach access.

My husband and I went out for a short walk on St. Pete's beach right off Passe-A-Grille. I might be wrong on this - please, everyone, correct me if I am - but the beach was not very wide at all and the sand was gritty and yellow, not the pretty white sand. I really didn't like this beach at all, but I have no clue as to whether it's like this all over St Pete Beach or this was just a bad spot.

Clearwater Beach right near Pier 60 is gorgeous. Very wide, with nice white sand that scrunches beneath your toes. But even on a summer weekday evening, it was really crowded!

We really like Honeymoon Island State Park - the beaches on the south end are really nice - but there's no hotels there.

So, given my limited knowledge, I would probably pick Longboat (if money were no object) because it is a gorgeous beach with probably less crowds because they are snooty and restrict beach access (which actually is pretty annoying - maybe I wouldn't pick them just out of principle).

I hope some people can comment on the sand quality and the width of St Pete Beach, since my experience was quite limited.

Tandoori_Girl

birder (here I am again) I tend to go to the same beaches and was pleasantly surprised when we spent some time recently at Clearwater. The sand was really white, superfine, you really noticed it, how wonderful it was.

The sand on St. Pete and TI has been renourished. Alot of that is dredged up offshore -- or brought here from elsewhere -- and it is not the great sand it used to be. TI's sand is very nice away from the shore because it's the old sand. Passe-A-Grille is the same thing, renourished, pumped sand.

Ft. DeSoto does not have to renourish its beaches because their erosion is inconsequential. No houses to wash away so it's just the constant ebb and flow of the tides and the littoral drift moving sand along and the same clump of sand staying in the vicinity of the island.

I used to love Longboat but haven't been in ages, not since all the gentrification happened. I was in Lido a few weeks ago and the sand was OK, nothing like at the Clearwater Beach Hotel. And taurus, you might want to consider the Clearwater Beach Hotel, just steer clear of that pool of theirs. It is nasty.

Postal

I just stayed at a wonderful bayside (as in Tampa Bay) hotel in St. Pete called the Renaissance Vinoy. It has a fascinating history and Marriott managed to retain its Old World charm when they renovated it. As I said, it is not on the beach but still a very relaxing stay.

Tandoori_Girl

Postal, isn't that a wonderful place? I've been to the restaurants and was there for a wedding. Certainly a grand dame of hotels. But...not on the gulf. The upside is that there's a lot going on in downtown St. Pete now, a real renaissance.